


Avoidance

by mayawrites95 (mayarox95)



Series: A Light In The Darkness [7]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fix-It, Kylo Ren Redemption, Redemption, Star Wars: The Last Jedi Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-18 04:50:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13092768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayarox95/pseuds/mayawrites95
Summary: Ben faces Chewie face to face, and the Wookie has some choice words





	Avoidance

**Author's Note:**

> Other than one last reunion, this is the last one where Ben seeks forgiveness. Obviously, he has a long way to go before he forgives himself as well, but from here on out, it will be more Reylo centric. 
> 
> Should be read as part of a series but can be read as a stand-alone

Somehow, Ben thinks, he preferred to face the entirety of the Resistance over Chewbacca.

Not that it should have been that much of a surprise. His father’s partner is a terrifying creature, if opposed.

Not that Ben got on the wrong side of Chewie often. Sure, he would tease the Wookiee as a kid, and have Chewie growl loudly at him, but other than that, Chewie had always been a surrogate uncle to him. He had sat on the Wookiee’s lap as they flew through the Galaxy on his father’s various smuggling missions when he was younger.

And when he was older, and allowed to, he would sit as a co-pilot with the Wookiee.

It’s some of the few good memories he has with his father. Back when he was still allowed to go on those trips. Later on, his father started leaving him behind. He might not have been interested in smuggling, but he enjoyed the time that he spent with his father during those trips. But the lack of interest in smuggling meant Han thought Ben didn’t want to come anymore. And so, the trips stopped, and so did the bonding he had with his father and Chewie.

Somehow, despite being on the same base as the Wookiee, Ben’s managed to avoid him. Not that it’s that hard to do. It’s rather easy to tell when the Wookiee is coming down a corridor from the growling. No other Resistance member makes their presence known as Chewie does.

But what he wasn’t accounting for was for the Wookiee to corner him, in the canteen one day, between his training, and time spent in his room trying to avoid the Resistance members from judging him.

He’s sitting beside Rey and the pilot Dameron. Honestly, he’s shocked Poe is as forgiving as he is. Ben did torture him trying to find out about the map to lead to Luke. But he’s one of the first to approach Ben, not scared of what he can do, or what he has done, and offers his friendship.

Ben’s thankful for it, knowing he doesn’t deserve it, but grateful for it anyways. It’s clear the pilot is quite popular on the base, especially with the female population. And one of the few who seem resistant to his charms is Rey, which Ben is extremely grateful for.

Not that he’d ever vocalize it, but it’s nice to know that she doesn’t feel the need to flirt back. They’re friends, and he knows if she wanted, she could date the man, or even see him casually if so inclined. But she doesn’t seem interested, and definitely doesn’t act the same way around him that she does with Ben.

It’s also why he’s so preoccupied that he doesn’t sense the Wookiee coming enough to leave before he gets here. He’s busy staring at Rey as she tries to apply the force to cut her apple with her knife. She has a delicacy to her that he can’t quite describe, and he feels like he could get lost, watching her.

And before he knew it, Chewie is at their table and sits down beside them. He gives Ben a look, and Ben knows he’s disappointed that Ben has been avoiding him for as long as he had.

His mother is too forgiving, and Ben thinks it’s the human in her, that’s compassionate and forgiving.

Chewie on the other hand, has no reason to forgive him. Ben killed his partner, the man who was his family. He doesn’t deserve his forgiveness, even if it were offered.

Rey seems to sense the tension, and asks Poe if he wants to go talk to Finn about some mission they’re going on, which he isn’t invited to. He’s asked for information, but he’s not allowed to partake in any of their operations. Not that he expects anything else. He’s still a liability.

And suddenly, Ben is left alone, with a Wookiee that may or may not want to kill him.

Chewie growls at him, and he can tell the Wookie is angry at him. Confused why Ben did what he did, hurt that he didn’t take his father’s offer. He could have just left. He didn’t need  to have carried out the choice he did.

“I know it doesn’t mean much, but I am sorry,” Ben swallowed. “I was wrong. I was so wrong Chewie.”

Chewie growls again, _“He loved you. He only wanted you to come home.”_

“I was afraid,” Ben said, “I wanted to come home. I missed him so much. I missed going on trips with him and you. And I was afraid if I came home, he would shun me again.”

_“You hated those trips,”_ Chewie growled at him. _“You broke your father’s heart.”_

“I hated the smuggling,” Ben clarified, “I liked spending time with you and him. Instead, I got left with the droids while my parents were busy working.”

_“Do you think that’s an excuse?”_ Chewie grunted.

“Of course not,” Ben agreed. “It’s not an excuse. Nothing excuses what I did. That I killed my father.” His voice broke, and he tried to stop himself from looking vulnerable. Not with all the Resistance Members trying to understand what was happening.

_“All he wanted was for you to come home,”_ Chewie growled.

“I wish I had,” Ben said softly.

_“He would have been proud of you,”_ Chewie grunted, after a moment. _“You brought down Snoke. You’ve crippled the Resistance. And you fly well enough to make him proud.”_

Ben swallowed deeply, trying to stop himself from breaking down.

“I’m sorry, Chewie. I’m so sorry,” Ben said again.

“ _It’s okay, little one. Your father would be happy to know you got here in the end. We all know he was less than perfect. I could hardly fault you for the same thing,”_ Chewie grunted at him.

The conversation ended there, as Chewie focused his attention on his food. It still confused Ben how they were all so forgiving. So ready to accept him back into his life when he was undeserving of it. But somehow, they made him feel welcome back.

He had taken them for granted before. Their love wasn’t explicit, but he sees know that it was there in the little things. Like how his mother always checked in on him before she went to bed. How his father tried to bring him back tokens from his trips. How his uncle pushed him so hard because he believed in Ben.

It would take some adjusting to, but maybe, just maybe, he would be okay.


End file.
